TINZ agrees. “We are pleased that the Government acknowledges the need for transparency from its Ministers. Transparency is the antidote for corruption, every action they take makes New Zealand a better home for her citizens and reinforces New Zealand’s leadership in the global fight against corruption,” stated TINZ Chief Executive Officer Julie Haggie.

This action is recommended by TINZ’s Integrity Plus 2013 New Zealand National Integrity System Assessment (NIS). Recommendation 3 v page 341 is to: ” Introduce measures that provide an adequate degree of transparency to ensure that public officials, citizens, and businesses can obtain sufficient information on, and scrutinise lobbying of members of Parliament and ministers.”

“The NIS is a definitive roadmap for increasing integrity systems in New Zealand. Ministers taking this step are demonstrating a commitment to improving transparency and in this way, improving policy, practice and outcomes for New Zealanders,” says Suzanne Snively, Chair of TINZ.

“We hope it is not long before all Parliamentarians are required release their diaries and this requirement is codified in law so that it can not be undone by future by politicians fearful of transparency,” Snively adds.

We applaud actions, such as the release of official information to the public, that lead to a stronger New Zealand integrity system.

Transparency International is a global civil society coalition leading the fight against corruption. It compiles a number of measures of different aspects of corruption including the Corruption Perceptions Index, the Global Corruption Barometer, and the Bribe Payers Index. Information on Transparency International can be found at www.transparency.org.

About TINZ

Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) is the local chapter of the global organisation – http://www.transparency.org.nz/. TINZ works to actively promote the highest levels of transparency, accountability, integrity and public participation in government and civil society in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Transparency International New Zealand provides a free Anti-Corruption Training Tool (transparency.org.nz/Anti-Corruption-Training) designed by leading experts in the field, and enables organisations to provide training for their personnel. This was developed in partnership with the Serious Fraud Office and BusinessNZ

24 July 2018Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) is encouraged by the public release of parliamentarian diaries. Today Green party ministers released meeting logs for their official activities within the last three months. This is an important step in strengthening the transparency of New Zealand’s political process.

New Zealand remains vulnerable to the flow of illicit offshore assets. An Auckland company is caught up in an international money laundering controversy after it was identified helping to manage a network of New Zealand-registered companies and trusts for its secret clients.

“This article is striking. The amount of money involved and the newness of this activity are a strong signal that more needs to be done to prevent New Zealand trusts and companies from laundering foreign assets acquired under suspicious circumstances. We are left wondering just how much corrupt wealth is sheltered through New Zealand,” says Suzanne Snively, Chair of Transparency International New Zealand.fully transparent.

Actively promoting a world with trusted integrity systems in which government, politics, business, civil society and the daily lives of people are free of corruption. TINZ is a member of Transparency International, the international organisation leading the movement to eradicate corruption and bribery wherever they occur.